Shoe-tie fastener.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1903.

w. B. DBLANO; I SHOE TIE FASTBNER, v APPLICATION PIX 1RD NOV. 11, 1902.

N0 MODEL.-

WITJEE SE 5 n: norinys PETERS co. mom-mm UNITED STATES Patented July 7, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE-TIE FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 732,718, dated July '7, 1903. Application filed November 11, 1902. Serial No. 130,885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. DELANO, a

' citizen of the United States, residing in W- burn, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Tie Fasteners, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is a device adapted to be secured to a shoe and to prevent the tie or lacing from becoming accidentally untied.

The device is applied to the shoe by means of one of the eyelets, preferably the upper eyelet, the shank or barrel of said eyelet when in position extending through a correspondingly-shaped hole in one end of the fastener, and thus holding that end rigidly in position. The fastener extends outward from the eyelet, and its opposite end bears snugly against the shoe and is shaped especially. so asto provide considerable friction and pressure.

The loop of the tie of the shoe-lacing is caught under the outer or projecting end of the device and is held between it and the shoe, thus holding the loop firmly and preventing the lacing from untying or the knot from becoming loose. undereach of the upper eyelets, so that each of the two loops, such as are usual in a bowknot, may be secured.

The nature of the invention is fully described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top view of the upper part of that portion of the shoe which is provided with eyelets and adapted to be laced with my invention in position. Fig. 2 is a similar View with the lacings in position and my invention in operation. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken through the shoe and taken longitudinally through the two fasteners. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of one of the fasteners. Fig. 5 is aside view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

arepresents that portion of the upper which is provided with eyelets 12, adapted to receive a shoe-lacing c, of which c represents the loops of the bow.

My device consists of an integral metallic piece consisting of three portions-via, the inner end d, the outer endg, and the shank or Preferably a fastener is applied connection 6. The inner end is preferably circular and of about the same diameter as an eyelet-head when it has been pressed into position, and this end is provided with a hole 62, which is of substantially the diameter of the shank 0r barrel of the eyelet. The outer end g is concavo-convex and preferably round. The shank or connection e is curved or sprung upward centrally between the two ends. The plane of the inner end d is at a slight anglewith that of the under side or edge of the outer end g.

The device is applied to the shoe by means of an eyelet 1), preferably the upper one, whose shank or barrel extends through the hole (1 and clamps the fastener rigidly in position, such position being preferably that indicated in the drawings, the fastener extending outward substantially-parallel with the upper edge of that portion of the shoe.

By means of the curved shank or connection a and the angle of the free end 9 with relation to the end at the said free end 9 dips and is pressed snugly and tightly against the shoe when said shoe is filled out by the foot. Hence when one of the loops 0 is caught under' the end y it is held firmly between said end and the shoe and all the more firmly by reason of the friction produced by the concavo-convex shape, whereby the edge or periphery of the end 9 is forced into the fabric of the lacing. By this means the loops are held intact and the knot prevented from untying.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The herein-described shoe-tie fa'stener, comprising an end portion adapted to be secured to the s'hoelnear the tie, an; opposite end portion adapted to press a portion of the tie against the shoe, and an intermediate shank connecting said end portions and adapted to force the outer end portion down upon said tie, substantially as described.-

2. The herein-described shoe-tie fastener,

comprising the portion d provided with the or bent to force the outer end portion upon the tie and press it against the shoe, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein-described shoe-tie fastener,

5 comprising the portion d provided with the hole (1 and adapted to encircle the shank or barrel of an eyelet and to be secured thereby to the shoe, the outer end portion g concavoconvex in shape, and the shank 6 connecting IO said portions (1 and g and curved or bent to 

